Key dates in 2019 as UK prepares for Brexit – News Live

Key dates in 2019 as UK prepares for Brexit – News Live
Brexit,European Union,Theresa May,Politics
Already 2019 is a year of political drama with unprecedented battles over Brexit .
There are just weeks left before Britain leaves the EU, and there still isn’t a solid plan.
If MPs, the EU and government don’t agree a deal by 29 March, the UK will leave the European Union without agreement.
That’ll mean trade tariffs, tailbacks as customs checks ramp up at ports, and more complicated passport and pet travel applications.
Emergency plans will have to come into effect to prevent flights being grounded, food running out and a run on the banks.
So what are the key dates in the process in 2019 – and beyond? We look at the timetable here.
Brexit timetable: Key dates in 2019
JANUARY 15: MPs defeated Theresa May’s Brexit deal in historic vote. The 585-page deal lost by an all-time record majority of 230 MPs, including 118 Tory rebels, after EU chiefs refused to kill a ‘backstop’ clause which could trap the UK under EU customs rules from 2021. Labour tabled a no-confidence motion in the government.
JANUARY 16: Labour’s no confidence motion failed. Labour held a historic no confidence vote in HM Government. But Theresa May survived after her 10 DUP allies agreed not to boot her from power. If they’d voted against her, she would have lost by one vote. Theresa May vowed to launch a cross-party approach to the way forward but Jeremy Corbyn refused to meet her because she wouldn’t remove the threat of No Deal.
JANUARY 31: MPs voted to back Theresa May’s Plan B. They approved a bid to re-open talks and replace the backstop with “alternative arrangements”, despite the EU saying this was impossible. They also voted down a bid to delay Brexit. But they did agree to “reject” a No Deal Brexit in a symbolic, but not legally binding vote. Jeremy Corbyn entered talks with Mrs May.
FEBRUARY 14: MPs hold a further vote. After rushing back to Europe to try and re-open talks, Theresa May is due whatever happens to table a statement on her progress on February 13 followed by a vote the next day. Expect further attempts at this point to delay Brexit and rule out the prospect of No Deal.
MARCH 21-22: Last EU summit the UK is due to attend. It is possible that even if a deal is agreed, EU leaders will only give sign-off to it – or a delay – at this summit. That means it’s the squeakiest of squeaky bum times for the Prime Minister, who would have just a week left before the UK leaves.
MARCH 29: Brexit. If there’s a deal, this will be a total anticlimax because a transition will be in place. If there’s No Deal, planes could be grounded, ports jammed up and customs checks thrown into chaos at 11pm, when Brexit officially takes force.
MAY 24: European Parliament elections. The timing of these makes it difficult for Britain to extend the date of Brexit=.
DECEMBER 12: The earliest Tories can force another leadership contest against Theresa May, because they have to wait a year between each one. If she survives this long, that i

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